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In sales, we learn to sell benefits rather than features. Keeping
that in mind, the way to sell yourself on maximizing your
productivity is to realize that with a super-dialed calendar and
well thought-out workday strategy, you can perform at double your
standard capacity. This is important because a key to
fulfillment is living our ideal life into each day, not just
every week or month.We want sufficient time to recharge,
have fun and be excited about something each and every day.

All it takes is three to six minutes to get together with
your co-workers, department or leadership team and ensure
everyone is aligned for that day. Every person in the huddle
should state his/her crucial goals for the day and let others
know if they are needed. If you don’t have a team, huddle with
your coach, direct supervisor or accountability buddy for a quick
check-in call. Standing in the huddle keeps everyone alert
and efficient.

2. Do the toughest and most important thing on your to-do
list first. We typically don’t want to do our
toughest tasks first but it is to our advantage to
accomplish what I call the "main crucial” while our
ego/willpower depletion is at a minimum.

When thinking about the most important task for the day, ask
yourself what you can do today that will provide the most value
to your company. List these tasks at the start of the
week and revise the list nightly for the next day.
Only after we’ve taken care of our most important work
should we begin tasks that require less energy, like
checking our email (but don’t do that without having a strategy
first!).

3. Have a clearly defined email strategy. It’s
easy to get lost in email. For better or worse (I believe
worse), we live in an email and smartphone-saturated culture
but not every email that comes in requires an immediate
response. A firm email policy will save you time and help you to
be much, much more productive.

Only check your email inbox during the time you’ve set aside
in your calendar. First, scan your subject lines and
senders to determine which emails are time sensitive or
urgent. Answer those emails first. Remember, you’ve only allotted
a certain amount of time for email and need to stick to plan.

Next, process those emails that take two minutes or less to
respond to. Plan to deal with email requiring action or a
response that takes more than two minutes during your “flex time”
later in the day. Schedule less-urgent items for the near future
instead of cluttering your “flex time,” which you set aside
for things that come up unexpectedly.

Don’t spend any more time in your inbox than you
allotted. If there are emergencies, pick up the phone or
meet in person. Don't rely on faceless email to solve problems or
deal with emotionally-charged situations.

4. Have a meeting strategy. A meeting without an
agenda is likely a waste of time. Ask in advace for an
agenda and the objective(s) of every meeting you attend.
Push meetings that will not require difficult decision-making to
the second half of your day so that you have sufficient time to
complete your crucial tasks for the day.

5. Eat alone sometimes. Keith Ferrazzi’s
book Never Eat Alone has been a staple for business
leaders and entrepreneurs for nearly a decade. It espouses the
idea that businesspeople should use lunches as a time to network.

It's good advice but you don’t have to network in
person. Use your lunchtime to ping your peers via email, LinkedIn
or the phone. The goal is to connect regularly and
build reciprocity with those in your network, not just ping them
when you need something.

That said, sometimes the most important thing to do on your lunch
is to simply recharge for the second half of your day. Your
choose, as long as you’re following your plan.

The glue binding these strategies is best conveyed by one word:
planning. We all have 24 hours in each day. Treat each day as a
gift by planning and leveraging your time.